Cotton harvester



Feb. 4, 1930.

C.IN.GQO,DWIN 1,745,925

' COTTON HARVESTER Filed May 6. 1922v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 COTTON HARVESTERFiled Mag f6. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CLARENCE N: eroonwm; or. RALEIGH,NORTH CAROLINA voortron nAnvEsrnR v.

-qAppli'cation an MayB; 19221, '-'seria1 natsasa l.

I This invention relates to ,cottonharvesters, I and particularlytocertain improvementsfin the construction and operation of the picker 1needle of either the hand or automatically 1 directed,combined,pneumaticand mechani';

cally operated type, wherein said picker needle is continuously andsimultaneously I'otated and reci-procated. i 1 One of the primaryobjects of theinvention' is to provide a mechanism for this form ofpicker, whereinthe continuous rotary motion of the needle, by reason ofcertainv-im- 7 proved cooperating parts will also cause thecontinuousreciprocating motion of said nee- V dle, the rotary motionbeing preferably performed by a motor mounted onthe'housing for thepicker needle. Another object lofthe invention is the;pro-

vision of means for automatically releasing r thevpicker needletemporarily from its mechanism,in the eventthatsaid needle should strikean obstruction during the operat1on thereof, and thus preventthevinjuring or breakingof the needle.

Another object is to provideantifrictional bearings for the cooperatingparts, with re spect to both therotating and reciprocating members andespecially between the inner end" of theneedle and the telescopingconnection permittingthereciprocating moVe-.

' nent ofsaid needle, whichlatter operation will be hereinafter morefully described.

, It-isto be. further understood that an air.

suction nozzle andconduitis associated with "said picker needle, wherebythe cotton, as -.it

' is stripped from theneedle is conveyed tothe desired place ofcollection. y i Briefly stated the invention comprises a d tubularhousing or barrel in which the picker. needleis mountedonanti-frictional bearings for combined rotary and reciprocatingmovements, one end of said barrel being provided with a cotton strippingelement, centering the outer end of the needle, and the other end havingprojecting therefrom a rotary spindle or extension to which is secured agear or v the like meshing with a pinion carriedpreferably by the .shaftof an electric' motor mounted adjacent thereto, whereby'the necessaryrotation of the spindle is accomplished.

"thereof.

The inner part of the spindle enclosed with-,

.- in the tubular housing. is secured to an elon gated hollow member,square in cross section, in which the-inner end ofthe picker needle .lsadapted to telescope, the particular connection and cooperation of theseparts being such that the needle will not only be caused. to rotatetherewith but will also be pe mit; ted "to reciprocate Within saidmember, a novel form'of anti-frictional device being iii-Q terposedbetween the working partsa ,Detachably keyed to'the intermediateportionof the picker needle, between the strip per and said telescopicconnection, is @101- lower or the like, provided with 'means on itsouter peripheryfin engagement with a con-f tinuous intersecting spiralgroove formed in the inner periphery of'the barrel or casing, wherebyupon. the 'rotationvofthe picker needle the follower will be caused totraverse said spiral groove, back and forth, causing the desiredreciprocatory movements of said needle simultaneously; with the rotationThe preferred embodiment of the inven: tionis illustrated in the.accompanying'drawngs in which: P t V Fig. l isa view partlyinelevationand partly in 'sectionfof'the completely assem-' bled device, and I hFig.- 2is a rear end View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewpartly'broken away "illustratingtheiinteri'orv mechanism' of the picker.

tinuous intersecting spiral groove for 'ca'i1s-,v

ing the reciprocatory movement of'the picker needle, andv p I y v v v V5 is the opposite'half View thereof. v Fig. '6 is a right hand end View,partly'in section, ofjFig. 3.

Fig. 7 is atop plan View and groove engaging means.

'Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the followershowing the means for detachably securing the same to the needle, 7

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the follower andneedle.

of the follower Fig. 10 is a detail View of the outer'end of I Fig. l isa half sectional View of the conthe picker needle showing the means ofmounting the prongs or tangs.

Figure 11 is a sectional view on lines 11-11 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 represents a barrel or housingfor the picker mechanism having associated therewith an 7 air suctionconduit 2, said conduit terminating in a nozzle or chamber 3 surroundingthe outer end of the picker needle. Secured to the inner end of thehousing or barrel 1 is an tion 5, the members 8 and 9'being so disposedas to provide a raceway for a series of balls 10. The outer end of thehollow elongated member 7 is connected to' a hollow spindle or the like11, said spindle being provided with a bearing member 12, cooperatingwith a cone 13, having mounted therebetween a se-' ries of balls let ina manner similar to the ball bearing construction just described, withrespect to the inner end of the elongated member 7. The spindle 11extends out beyond the adjacent end of the section 5 of the housing andhassecured thereto a gear wheel or the like 15 adapted to mesh with apinion 16 carried by the shaft of the electric motor 4E whereby thedesired rotation of the spindle 11 carryingthe square elongated member 7is accomplished. V

Adapted to telescope within the hollow member 7 is a picker needle 17.Interposed between that end of the picker needle and the hollow member 7is a cage orjhousing 18 having mounted therein a series of horizontallyand vertically disposed roller bearings 19, whereby the picker needlewill be antifrictionally mounted for reciprocatory motion within themember 7 and at the same time be caused to rotate upon the rotation ofsaid member 7. The picker needle 17 extends through a cotton strippingdevice 20 secured in the outer end of the section 6 of the housing 1.This needle is square and upon the rotation thereof carries with it thestripper 20, the opening through the stripper 20 being also squared tocorrespond to the shape of the picker needle. Immediately back of thestripper 20, and surrounding the picker needle 17 is a bearing member 21cooperating with a cone 22 secured within the inner periphery of thesection 6. adjacent ima es thereto, and interposed between the bearingmember 21 and the cone 22 is a series of balls 23 providing ananti-frictional rotary bearing. for the picker needle 17 at the outerend of section 6. Secured to the intermediate portion of the pickerneedle 17, between the stripper 20 and the telescoping connection, is afollower or the like 2 1, said follower being provided with a movablepin or key 25, normally held in operative position by a leaf spring 26,the innerend of said pin 25 being adapted to engage a transverse slot orgroove 27 formed in one side of the picker needle 17, all of which isclearly shown in Fig. 8. The

opposite side of the follower 24 is provided with an oppositely taperedor pointed memher 28 for engagement with a continuous intersectingspiral groove 29 formed around the inner periphery of section (5 of thehousing so that upon the rotation. of the picker needle 17. the member28 will follow the groove 29 from end'to end and return, whereby thenecessaryreciprocatory motion of the needle will be causedsimultaneously with the rotation thereof. As shown in Fig. 4 the ends ofthe grooves are connected as at 30..

It is, of course, to be understood that both ends of the intersectinggrooves are to be made continuous, but asshown at 31 a portion of theconnecting groove at this end has to be left open in order to insert thefollow-er 24, when the device is assembled. To com plete this groove,after the follower has been inserted, a separate annular member 32 isinserted adjacent this end of section 6 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Thismember 32 is provided with a curved portion 33, following the generalcurvature of the connecting groove 31, so that when these parts areassembled the proper functioning and cooperation of the groove andfollower may be had. The outer end of the picker needle is preferablyprovided with a pair of similar, centrifugally and spring controlledprongs or tangs 34, shown more clearly in detail in Fig. 10 of thedrawings.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation andfunctioning of the various parts will be perfectly obvious The necessarysource of electrical'current being'applied to the motor 1, the gearwheel 15, carrying the spindle 11, will be rotated as will also theelongated hollow square member 7 carried by said spindle 11, these partsbeing anti-frictionally mounted for this rotary motion, as hereinbeforedescribedand clearly shown in Fig. 3. As these parts rotate they alsocarry with them the square picker needle 17, which needle issubstantially keyed within the elongated hollow member 7 by the cage 18supporting roller bearings 19. 'As the picker needle 17 is rotated, thefollower 24, being keyed thereto,is likewiserotated, causing the member28 thereof to t-ra-versejthe continuous intersection groove 29 formed onthe inner periphery of section 60f the housing. By reason of theconnecting grooves 30 and 31,-as the follower reaches the ends of thegrooves, the same will'be caused to return in i the opposite directionin an obvious manner,

and thus causing the reciprocating of the picker needle 17,this'reciprocatory motion being permitted by. the anti-frictionaltelescoping 'connectionofsaid needle with the elongatedhollow member 7.Byreason of.

this peculiar telescoping connection the picker needle will be caused torotate upon the rotation of'the spindle 11 and atthe sametime' saidneedle will be permitted to reciprocate, said reciprocatory motion beingcaused by the cooperation of the follower and continuous ntersectmggrooves, dependent, of course,

,upon the rotary motion of the picker needle.

- By the foregoing construction all the various working parts of thepicker mechanism are anti-frictionally mounted and by certain novelconstruction and cooperation ofthe various parts of the device thepicker needle is continuously and simultaneously rotated andreciprocated, said reciprccatory fmotionl being caused-by thecontinuous'rotary motionthereof. g I,

What I claim is 1. In a cotton harvesting device, the combination withpicker needle, of a housing for said needle spaced therefrom, means forrotating the needle and cooperating means contained within. the housingand in- V terposed between said needle and housing and :5

concentric I therewith, for' causing simultaneously with the rotation ofthe needle, a continuous reciprocatory movement thereof.

2. In a cotton harvesting device, the combination with'a picker needleand a housing for the needle spaced therefrom, of neans concentricofithe needle and'interposed between the needle and housing for rotatingthe needle and means also concentric of the needle for causingsimultaneously a reciprocation thereof upon the rotation of said needle.

a substantially hollow rotary member square 3. In a cotton harvestingdevice, the combination with a picker needle, of a housing for saidneedle spaced therefrom, a'rotary' member'carried by said housing, meansinterposed betweenthe housing and needle for reciprocating said needleand anti-frictional means telescopicallyconnecting said needle a withthe rotary member.

4. Ina cotton picker, the combinationwith in cross" section, of areciprocated picker needle member telescoplng within said rotary member,a square housing slidably mounted on the telescoping'portion of saidreciprocated member and adaptedto fitwithin' the hollow rotary member,and roller bearings carried by thefour sides of said housing interposedbetween the reciprocated and hollow rotary members.

Ina cottonharvesting. device, the come.

bination 'with a'pickerneedle',1 0f'a housing for-- said' needle' anelongatedhollowimember,

angular in cross-section, also mounted within said housing,.means-forrotating said hollow V member,l antifrictional. telescoping connectionbetween said elongated hollowmember' andneedle, and cooperating meanscarried by said needle and housing for causing the res cipro'cating ofsaid needle upon the rotation of the needle and simultaneouslytherewith.

tating said hollow member, antifrictional:

telescoping connection between said elon-. gated hollow member andneedle, a follower carried by'said needle, and means on saidfol lowerfor engaging the aforesaidspiral.

groove forcausing thereciprocating ofsaid Loo needle :upon the rotationof said needle: and simultaneouslytherewith.

bination with apickerneedle, of a housing tersecting spiral grooveformed around the periphery. of said housing, an elongated hollow memberangular in crosszsection also cured." to the outer end' of saidfh-ollowmemberv extending. without said: housing, means low. member, atelescoping antifrictional rollerbearing connection. between the hollowmember. and needle, a :follower 'carried'by.

said needle, and means on said follower-for engaging the aforesaidspiral *groove for causing the reciprocating of said'needle upon therotation of said needle and simultaneously therewith.

8. In a cotton harvesting device, the combination with a picker needle,of a housing for said needle provided with a continuous intersectlngspiral groove formed around the inner periphery of said housing, anelongated I '1'15 i hollow member angular in cross section also mountedwithin said housing, a spindle secured to the outer end of said hollowmem ber extending without-said housing, means carried by said'spindlefor rotating said hollow member, a telescoping antifrictional rollerbearing connection between the hollow member and needle, a followerdetachably 7 .fIn a cottonharve'sting device, the coin for said needleprovidedwi-th a continuousin-- monuted within said housing, a spindlese-' carriedby saidspindle for rotating said hol-v carried by said needlto permit the disengagement thereof underabnormal pressure, and means onsaid follower for engaging the aforesaid splral groove for causing thereciprocating of said needle upon the rotation of the needle and.simultaneously therewith. v

' 9. In a cotton harvesting device, the combination with a pickerneedle, of a housing for said needle, means for simultaneously rotatingand'reciprocating said needle, combined centrifugally' and springcontrolled tangs car v ried by the outer end of said needle for engagingthe cotton bolls upon the projecting of said needle, and a strippercooperating with said needle to contract said prongs and remove thepicked cotton therefrom upon the retraction of said needle V Y 10; In acotton harvesting device, the combination with a picker needle, of ahousing for said needle provided with a continuous inter secting' spiralgroove formed; around the inner periphery ofsaid housing, an elongatedhollow member angular in cross section also mounted within said housing,a spindle se- 7 cured to the outer end of said hollow member extendingwithout said housing, means carried by said spindle for rotating saidhollow member, a telescoping anti-frictional roller bearing connectionbetween the hollow memher and needle, anti-frictional bearings betweentherrotary parts and said housing, a

follower detachablycarried by said needle, means on said follower forengaging the aforesaid spiral groove for causing the reciprocating ofsaid needle upon the rotation of the needle and simultaneouslytherewith, combined centrifugally and spring controlled prongs or tangscarried by the outer end of the needle for engaging the cotton bollsupon the .projectingof said needle, a stripper cooperating with theneedle to contract said prongs and remove thepicked cotton there fromupon the retraction of the needle, and an air suction nozzle and conduitassociated with said picker mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

. CLARENCE N. GOODVVIN,

